Anti-Defamation League honors McRobbie, McKinney with awards

During the past year, IU President McRobbie has spoken out about issues of inequality from education to gay marriage.

Now, the Anti-Defamation League has given McRobbie the “Man of Achievement” award for his efforts.

“IU strives to represent the best ideals of a free society,” Mark Land, associate vice president of public affairs and government relations, said.

“As a leading institution in Indiana, we have a responsibility to...set an example by advocating for equality, fairness and diversity whenever possible.”

McRobbie will receive the award April 24 alongside fellow honoree Robert McKinney, a former IU trustee and chair of the board.

“We give it to people in the community, man or woman, who have given back professionally and philanthropically,” said Lonnie Nasatir, regional director for the Midwest for the ADL.

Ideals of the ADL include achieving racial equality, fighting discrimination and hate and living in a pluralistic world, Nasatir said.

“We have been taking notice of his stance on many issues that are near and dear to the ADL,” Nasatir said. “The fact that he has worked tirelessly to create a climate on campus that embraces difference, that embraces diversity, is fabulous.”

McRobbie has also traveled extensively to other countries for diversity awareness, Michael Maurer, 1997 ADL “Man of Achievement” said.

“The fact that he is always looking to bring in different communities and kids from different parts of the world to expose them to Indiana and vice versa shows his commitment to learning different cultures, different customs, different ethnicities, different practices, which is exactly what the ADL is all about,” Nasatir said.
“McRobbie has done a terrific job of being a champion for those ideals.”

Follow reporter Kathrine Schulze on Twitter @KathrineSchulze.